Electrode holder



Jan. 23, 1945. H H, HALL f 2,367,724

v ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed Aug. 27, 1945 'Ill mixivliwm www@ 7m/mm Patented Jan. 23, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRODE HOLDER Harvey H. Hall, Denver, Colo.

Application August 27, 1943, Serial No. 500,283

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electrode holders and has reference more particularly to an improvement in the construction of the holder described and claimed in United States Patent No. 2,324,924, granted to me on July 20,

The art of electric welding is very extensively practiced throughout industry in this and other countries and the need for an electrode holder of such construction that it can be readily adjusted, and in which the electrodes can be quickly and readily replaced or changed has made itseli telt.

It is the object ci this invention to produce an electrode holder' of a very simple and substantial construction that shall be so designed that electrodes can b-e readily removed and replaced and in which the angular relation between the electrodes and the head of the holder can be quickly and positively adjusted.

Another object of the invention is to produce an electrode holder of such a construction that it shall be compact and therefore adapted for use in restricted spaces.

A still further object of the invention is to produce an electrode holder of the type describedand claimed in the patent above identied that shall have resilient means for urging the clamping jaws apa-rt so as to expedite and facilitate the removal and insertion of electrodes.

A still further object of the invention is to produce an electrode holder that can be thoroughly insulated so as to prevent the accidental formation of arcs between the electrode holder and the work.

A still further object is to produce an electrode holder in which the means for clamping is oi such a construction that the clamping operation, as well as the releasing operation, can be effected in the shortest possible time.

The above and other objects that may become app-arent as this description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and an arrangement of parts that will now be described in detail, and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated, in its preferred form, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the holder, a portion of the handle being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2 2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a. view taken on plane 3--3, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the clamping head portion;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan View of the clamping wedge;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the wedge shown in Figure 5; and

. numeral I8.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the holder showing the manner of releasing and rotating the clamping head for `angular adjustment.

In the drawing reference numeral IU designates the handle which is tubular and in which the cable II is held in electrical contacting engagement by means of a plurality of screws I2. The handle is surrounded by a tubular insulator I-3. The handle terminates in a flat member I4, whose upper surface, when viewed as in Figure 1, serves as a friction surface for engaging the under side of the jaw I5. The clamping head consists of two jaws I5 and I6 which are formed from steel or some other suitable electrically conducting metal and are held in alignment by means of dowel pins Il. The opposing surfaces of the jaws are provided with complementary grooves such as those designated by reference These grooves may be of circular cross section or V-shaped, as may be found most desirable. The clamping jaws are provided with registering openings through which a clamping bolt or the like, I9, extends. This bolt also extends through an opening in the at member I4 of the handle. The openings in the jaws have enlarged sections in which is positioned a spring 29 that urges the two jaws away from each other. The bolt I9 has a threaded connection with jaw I6 and is usually provided with a locknut 2I to resist accidental rotation. The locknut may be separated from the upper surface of jaw IB by means of a spring washer 22. The lower end of bolt I9 is provided with a flattened head 23 and a tapering washer 24 surrounds the bolt and rests against the upper surface of the head as shown in Figure 1. A wedge 25 has a tapered end 26 that is provided with a slot 21 for the reception of the bolt I9. The lower side of the clamping Wedge is provided with a nger grip 28 that is accessible for moving the wedge longitudinally in a manner and for a purpose which will hereinafter be explained. An insulating cover 29 is attached to the flattened end I4 of the handle by means of screws 39. This insulating cover has an opening 3| through which the linger grip 28 extends. The length of opening 3| is such as to permit sufficient longitudinal movement of the clamping member to tighten and release the clamping jaws in a manner which will presently be described. y

Referring now to Figure 3, it is taken on plane 3-3, Figure 1, and it will be seen that in addition to the central opening through which the bolt I9 passes, the jaw I5 is provided with a number of circular depressions or openings which are equiangularly spaced about a circle Whose center is the center of bolt I9. A latching pin 33 is secured in the flattened end I4 of the handle and is so positioned that it will enter any of the openings 32 and hold the clamping head in any desired rotary position relative to the handle. At this point it will be pointed out that the open ings 32 and the pin 33 may be entirely dispensed with and the frictional resistance between the member I4 and the surface of jaw l5 relied upon to hold the parts in rotary adjusted position, or, instead of a pin and openings as shown, some other interlocking means may be substituted, such, for example, as radial corrugations. It is to `be understood that the specific means shown for preventing relative rotary motion is merely illustrative of means `for this purpose.

The clamping head is provided with an insulating cover 34 which is secured to the jaw I6 by means of screws 35. The cover 34 is provided with openings 36 that register with the electrode receiving grooves I8.

Referring now to Figure 1, it will be apparent that when the clamping wedge '25 is moved towards the left, it will move thebolt 29 and the jaw member I6 that is connected therewith downwardly towards the jaw I5. This motion is resisted by the spring which tends to keep the jaws in spaced relation. When an electrodelis in position between the jaws, it will be rmly clamped when tension is applied to bolt I9 by means of the clamping wedge. When the electrode is to be replaced, this can be quickly done by moving the clamping wedge towards the right, when viewed in Figure 1, thereby permitting the spring to separate `the jaws and release the electrode. A new electrode can then be inserted and the clamping wedge moved towards the left until sufficient force is exerted to hold the electrode in-pcsition. If the angular relation between the clamping' head and the handle is to be changed, this is effected by moving the clamping wedge towards the right as far as it will go and then exerting pressure on the ends of the insulating covers 34 and 29 in the manner shown in Figure 7. This causes the clamping head to tilt sufiiciently to disengage the pin 33 from the opening 32 and while in this position the clamping head can be rotated to any desired .angular position and when it is released the pin will engage in one of the openings 32 and holdthe parts in adjusted position.

Attention is directed to the fact that the clamping jaws are urged apart by means of the spring and that the tension is applied to the `bolt I9 by means positioned on the opposite side of the handle from the clamping head and accessible from that side. By having the clamping means on the under side of the holder, a neater and more convenient arrangement ofparts is provided which makes it possible to make the tool more compact and better adapted for use in tight places. Although I9 has beenV referred to `as a bolt and shown as such, it is evident that it may be connected with jaw I8 by being welded thereto instead of by a threaded connection and it is therefore to be understood that the use of any equivalent means is embraced within the term employed.

Having described the invention what is claimed aS new ISC 1. An electrode holder comprising a handle having one end provided with a friction surface, a clamping head comprising relatively movable inner and outer jaws, the former having one surface in engagement with the friction surface, meansior holding the jaws in alignment, resilient means for urging the jaws apart, that part of the handle forming the friction surface and the inner jaw having registering openings, a bolt, or the like, secured to the outer jaw and projecting through the opening in the inner jaw and in the handle, for effecting a rotary connection between the clamping head and the handle, and means in engagement with the outer end of the bolt and accessible from the side of the handle opposite the clamping head, for exerting a tension on the bolt to urge the jaws towards each other and to urge one of them in frictional engagement with the friction surface.

2. An electrode holder comprising a handle having one end provided with a friction surface, a clamping head comprising relatively movable inner and outer jaws, the inner jaw having one surface in engagement with the friction surface, means for holding the jaws in alignment, resilient means for urging the jaws apart, that part cf the handle forming the friction surface and the inner jaw being provided with registering openings, a bolt, or the like, secured to the outer jaw and projecting through the opening in the inner jaw and in the handle, for eiecting a rotary connection between the clamping head and the handle, the end of the bolt having a head, and means for placing the bolt under tension comprising, a wedge positioned between the back of the handle and the head of the bolt, said wedge being longitudinally movable relative to the bolt.

3. An electrode holder comprising a handle having one end provided with an opening, a clamping head comprising two jaws, means for holding the jaws in mutual alignment, a spring positioned between the jaws forming means for urging them apart, a bolt passing through the opening in the handle, through one jaw and rigidly connected with the other jaw, the end of the bolt opposite the clamping head having an outwardly extending shoulder facing the handle, a clamping element `positioned between the shoulder and the handle, and meansfor rotatably interlocking the clamping head and the end of the handle. 

